Introduction to Animal Production
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Introduction to Animal Production
Abstract
This study focused on the introduction to animal production. The study took into account peri-urban dairy production systems in cities and mixed crop-animal production systems in rural areas. Domeabra, Aprade, and Abuakwa were urban peri-urban research sites, with Amansie West District designated rural.
A reconnaissance survey was conducted to provide an overall view of the study areas. Purposive sampling was used to choose target farms. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire, concentrated group talks, secondary data sources, and field observations.
The study included 60 farmers from the urban system (20 from Domeabra, 20 from Aprade, and 20 from Abuakwa). The farms were further divided into small and medium herd sizes.
Similarly, 60 cattle proprietors were picked from the Amansie West District region. Samples of main feed resources were taken from both systems and chemically analysed. The data were examined using descriptive statistics and SAS’s General Linear Model.
The study found that in the rural system, both natural pastures and crop residues were the predominant basal diets, whereas in the urban system, grass hay was the primary basal diet.
Seventy-five percent of both small and medium-sized dairy farms in Aprade and Abuakwa were experiencing feed challenges due to the present increase in feed prices.
More than 80 and 55% of dairy producers in Aprade and Abuakwa, respectively, reported that commercial feeds are insufficiently available in the market. Hay had a CP content of 6.1%, while grazing pasture had 7.2%. Crop residues’ CP concentration ranged from 3.1 to 6.7%, which was less than the minimal need of 7.0% for optimal microbial function.
Crop residues exhibited reduced digestibility (47%) and energy values ranging from 6.5-7.9 MJ/kg DM, with an NDF level of more than 65%. The assessment of market prices for feeds and milk revealed that at the urban research sites, noug seedcake had the highest price, ranging from ETB 2.13 to 2.41 per kg feed.
The lowest price for brewery wet grain in the Abuakwa area was ETB 0.18 per kilogramme feed. Brewery wet grain was the cheapest (ETB 0.02) per unit of metabolisable energy (ME), whereas noug seedcake was the most expensive (ETB 0.23).
In all research sites, the highest prices for locally produced items such as butter and cheese were observed during the dry season. As a result of the current investigation, it was determined that the quality of available basal roughage feeds is often inadequate, necessitating strategic supplementation with protein and energy-rich feed.
Alternative methods of dry-season feed production and supply should be implemented with the participation of all stakeholders and development actors. In light of the escalating market price of concentrate feeds, other options such as brewery wet grains and non-conventional feed supplies should be considered.
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Ghana is thought to have one of the biggest animal populations in Africa. According to the most current animal population census (CSA, 2008), Ghana has around 49.3 million cattle, 25.0 million sheep, 21.9 million goats, 1.8 million horses, 5.4 million donkeys, 335 thousand mules, 760,000 camels, and 38.1 million poultry. This excludes the animal populations of three Afar zones and six Somali areas.
Several academics have classified Ghana’s animal production systems in various ways. Most classifications are based on factors such as livestock-crop integration, input and intensity of production, agro-ecology, and market orientation.
As a result, five production systems have been identified: pastoral, agro-pastoral, mixed crop-livestock farming, intensive dairying, and peri-urban dairying (MoA, 1997; Yoseph, 1999; Mohammed et al., 2004; Yitay, 2007). Milk and milk products production is critical in all production systems, with cattle accounting for 99% of total milk output.
Ghana has enormous potential for dairy growth, owing to its vast animal population, favourable climate for enhanced high-yielding animal breeds, and largely disease-free environment (Winrock International, 1992; Halloway et al., 2000).
Furthermore, the country has a variable topography and climate, therefore milk production occurs at various levels throughout all agro-ecological zones.
Milk is primarily produced by small-scale mixed farmers in urban areas, whereas pastoralist production systems predominate in the lowlands. There are also intense and commercial dairy farms around the country. The bulk of cows are indigenous breeds, with a small number of farmers raising crossbred dairy animals (Gebre-Wold et al., 2000).
However, despite the abundance of animal resources in the country, production is exceedingly low. The animal sector in Ghana accounts for 12 and 33% of total and agricultural GDP, respectively (Ayele et al., 2003).
The per capita intake of milk is predicted to be 19.2 kg/person/year, which is significantly lower than Africa’s average per capita consumption of 37.2 kg/person/year (FAO, 1998; FAO, 2000).
However, rising domestic demand for dairy products is likely to drive significant expansion in the dairy sector. This demand is driven by high population expansion (estimated at 3% per year), growing urbanisation, and predicted income growth (Mohammed et al., 2004).
The transition in government policy towards a more market-oriented economy will allow private enterprises to respond to growing demand by investing more in dairy production and milk processing.
While the private sector is likely to respond significantly to growing dairy demand, small-scale farms in urban areas contain the majority of the dairy development potential.
Currently, a number of smallholder and commercial dairy farms are emerging, primarily in Ashanti’s urban and peri-urban areas (Felleke and Geda, 2001; Azage, 2003), as well as in the majority of regional cities and districts. Azage and Alemu (1998) reported that in the Ashanti milk shadow, 5167 dairy farms produced milk per year.
Annual milk output per cow in Ghana is often low due to shorter lactation periods, longer calving intervals, older age at first calving, and poor genetics. One of the key reasons for such poor milk production is a lack of animal feed, both in quantity and quality, particularly during the dry season.
Furthermore, the progressive decline of average farm sizes in response to rising human populations, the encroachment of cropping land onto former grazing areas as well as less fertile and more easily erodable lands, and the expansion of degraded lands that can no longer support either annual crops or pastures all contributed to a feed resource shortage (Anderson, 1987; Alemayehu, 2005).
Furthermore, inadequate grazing management (for example, persistent overgrazing) resulted to a feed resource shortage as productive and nutritious flora were replaced by unpleasant species (Ahmed, 2006). Animal feed supply from natural pasture swings in response to seasonal rainfall patterns (Alemayehu, 1998; Solomon et al., 2008a).
Furthermore, the quality of native pasture is quite low, particularly during the dry season, due to its low digestible calorie and protein content and high fibre content. This is significantly worse for crop leftovers since they include less vital elements (protein, energy, minerals, and vitamins) and have poorer digestibilities and intake (Seyoum and Zinash, 1988; Chenost and Sansoucy, 1991; Zinash et al., 1995). Despite these issues, ruminants will continue to rely mostly on food from natural grasslands and crop leftovers.
Peri-urban dairy production systems have evolved in cities and towns, and they rely significantly on purchased fodder. The word peri-urban refers to the linkage and interaction between rural and urban areas, as defined by the production, processing, and marketing of milk and milk products for urban customers (Rey et al., 1993, as referenced in Yoseph, 1999).
Fonteh et al. (2005) also classified peri-urban as a place on the outskirts of town (between 5 and 10 kilometres from town). Further commercialisation of dairy farming occurs in cities and towns with significant demand for milk and milk products (middle and large towns).
However, the production system has been hampered by a number of variables, the most significant of which is adequate year-round animal feed supplies (amount and quality).
Few studies have been conducted on feed availability for dairy animals in urban and peri-urban dairy farms (Yoseph et al., 2003a). In peri-urban locations, there is a paucity of current and up-to-date baseline information on feed availability and quality under current conditions.
As a result, it is necessary to evaluate the feed demand and supply situation in peri-urban locations in order to establish appropriate solutions for providing acceptable volumes and sufficient quality fodder to dairy animals.
On the other hand, the livestock sector in the Rural (CRV) around Amansie West District was previously dominated by agro-pastoralists, who have been permanently settled via the efforts of the government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Currently, many smallholders in the CRV who use irrigation for agricultural production are mixed crop-livestock producers.
However, the contribution of such a plan to animal productivity in terms of feed availability is not well understood. However, such smallholders preserve animals for draught power, transportation, savings, and milk (Alemayehu, 1985; Legesse et al., 1987). Furthermore, the quantity of animals reflects the owner’s socio-cultural position (Amsalu, 2000).
The enormous number of animals in the CRV has caused widespread overgrazing and land degradation, as indicated by the proliferation of invasive weeds. However, current baseline information on feed availability is also scarce in rural areas.
The government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have recently promoted dairy development in order to enhance national milk production and improve earnings from crop-livestock mixed agricultural systems.
This development will contribute to societal needs while also increasing competition for sufficient and high-quality animal feed, particularly roughage.
Feed availability and quality, particularly during the dry season, are critical constraints in animal production endeavours and have a significant impact on the physical performance of the livestock sector.
In general, the chronic scarcity of fodder in most animal-producing locations (both dairy and meat) has a detrimental impact on the development potential of animal production.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Animal farming is essential to Ghana’s economy. As a result of population increase and land use intensification, there have been significant changes in livestock numbers, the mix of livestock holdings, and management practices in recent years.
Animal production systems face a variety of social, economic, environmental, and political constraints, as evidenced by livestock productivity, natural and social dangers associated with agro-pastoral systems, and natural resource degradation.
One of Ghana’s agrarian policy problems is the lack of or weakness in the legislative and regulatory framework for agriculture. Current policies are based on previous planned economy policy revisions, which are inappropriate for a market-driven economy.
These laws primarily targeted state-owned farms, collective farms, and cooperatives, such as developing the cattle industry in plain, densely populated areas rather than isolated, marginalised, and small-scale extensive production systems.
The enacted laws and other legislation concerning cattle breeding, pasture utilisation, and other issues practically do not work since there are no mechanisms in place to implement them.
Following the Land Reform in the 1990s, people from many backgrounds became farmers. The majority of them were unfamiliar with the foundations of agricultural production (for example, former professors, doctors, and engineers). Similarly, even experienced farmers and livestock raisers are confronted with new production conditions, such as a shift in production scale, industrial relations, economic arrangements, and so on.
One of the limitations in agrarian policy is a lack of institutional growth in the sector, specifically in marginalised vast animal production systems. Farmers in rural locations have numerous challenges in the production-marketing process due to a lack of or inadequate training, as well as a lack of information services.
During the 20 years of independence, conserved indigenous knowledge about animal husbandry and traditional pasture management has faced serious challenges such as animal health control, selecting market-oriented and appropriate livestock species, feed shortages during the winter, and unpredictable natural hazards in grazing land during other seasons.
Due to limited income and high feed production costs, winter feed has a low nutritional content. Inadequate animal diet and insufficient veterinary care increased illnesses and parasites, reducing cattle productivity. Increased livestock products result from an increase in livestock populations. At the same time, forage scarcity put strain on pastures.
Large areas of meadows (near villages) have previously been overgrazed. There is a severe loss in pasture productivity and imbalanced pasture composition due to various types of deterioration.
The conservation and repair of pastures has been largely disregarded. There is a significant imbalance in pasture use; isolated pastures, which are difficult to access for the bulk of farmers, are underutilised.
In other words, pasture degradation affects both biotic and abiotic elements such as increased temperature and decreased precipitation, high evaporation rate, and wind erosion. The constraints on animal production systems are interconnected.
One’s stability or accessibility allows for further development, whereas degeneration or alterations make others more vulnerable. They cannot be solved in isolation, independently, or by directing particular projects or governmental interventions towards a single factor. The components are interrelated, thus ignoring one produces another difficulty.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
This study was designed with the following precise objectives:
To obtain insight into the temporal and spatial availability of feed, as well as its quality, in order to target interventions in feed production and management for animal production in two Ashanti Ghana production systems.
To investigate the key impediments to animal feed availability in the specified areas.
To evaluate the performance of livestock in the designated areas.
To design advisory techniques for improving animal production.
1.4 Research questions.
What are the temporal and spatial availability of feed, as well as its quality, for focussing interventions in feed production and management on animal production in two Ashanti Ghana production systems?
What are the primary limits to animal feed supply in the selected areas?
What is the performance of cattle in the specified areas?
What are the strategies for improving animal production?
1.5 Significance of the Study
Animal production systems have played a significant part in the economy of high altitude locations because the features of pastoral systems are well suited to the unique characteristics of these mountainous areas.
During the Soviet era, ecologically or biophysically driven animal production techniques declined in relevance due to Ghana’s shifting socioeconomic and political circumstances.
Specialised livestock industry-collective structures have a significant impact on the preservation of nomadic traditional knowledge. Other significant developments included the transition from local breeds to center-demand breeds using imported livestock feed from other Soviet countries. The collapse of the Soviet Union provided some opportunities for farmers, but it also introduced new limits.
New herd sizes and unfettered access to grazing resources aided the resurgence of nomadic pastoral systems, which combined modern market-oriented agricultural techniques, known as agro-pastoral systems.
The cattle population is increasing significantly at the district, regional, and national levels. This study attempted to determine the process that led to the adoption of livestock species and herd composition at the household level, investigate the links between livestock management, cropland, and pastures, and define the important constraints and options for managing agro-pastoral systems in Ghana.
There are two major aspects that contribute to greater performance in livestock farming: stock quality and management. Dependence on livestock keeping and herd size are determined by farm geography and the availability of irrigated crops.
Where crop production is feasible, livestock are an essential component of farming systems. Where extremes of temperature and geography make crop production particularly challenging, animals may typically survive and thrive on available resources, providing a source of income.
A study of the interrelationships between crops and animals, as well as the income obtained from them, can help to comprehend the socioeconomic background of agro-pastoral systems in a market-based economy.
Easy availability to seasonal pastures with high nutritive and value feed plants increases animal numbers, while the market boosts a specific composition of them. The productivity of pastures varies according to geographical zones and climate. It is also dynamic, and pastoralists’ understanding of grazing management helps to conserve grassland biodiversity.
Most pastoralists have a wealth of expertise about complicated ecosystem dynamics, which makes them excellent detectors of environmental change. Within this setting, it is evident that even slight or severe changes in climatic patterns will have a big impact on many pastoralists, increasing resource unpredictability while also changing total availability (Nori, 2007).
Nomadic peoples’ traditional indigenous knowledge on seasonal pastures, grazing times, and grass composition and quantity is a valuable source of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).
The results of observations and measurements on pasture quality, in terms of composition, species balance, and climate parameters, will be useful to researchers and academics for future research.
There have been few research on agropastoral production systems in South Western Ghana. More research is needed to determine whether the problems are prevalent among smallholders throughout the region and in other parts of Ghana.
particular aspects of animal husbandry on small holdings might be improved with more in-depth research, which would be critical in determining the feasibility of particular education and cooperative initiatives for livestock contribution to rural incomes.
This study attempted to identify common and particular gaps and priorities among production systems throughout the area and in other parts of Ghana. It can also serve as a guideline for policymakers and researchers seeking to enhance specific aspects of animal husbandry in smallholdings.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study focusses on the introduction to animal production. The study focusses on animal production in Ghana, with samples taken from both rural and urban locations in Ashanti.
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